Piecing Back The Sky
by leroalice
Summary: Summary: Monkey D. Luffy once was Sawada Tsunayoshi. After a history of neglect by her parents and bullying from her peers and older twin, she was finally abandoned. She later wakes up in the New World and is saved and adopted by Dragon. What happens when she sets out to be a pirate? And will she still get caught up in the affairs of Vongola a world away? Fem!Luffy aka Fem!Tsuna
1. Prologue

Summary: Monkey D. Luffiana or "Luffy" once was Sawada Tsunayoshi. After a history of neglect by her parents and bullying from her peers and older twin, she was finally abandoned. She later wakes up in the New World and is saved and adopted by Dragon. What happens when she sets out to be a pirate? And will she still get caught up in the affairs of Vongola a world away? Fem!Luffy aka Fem!Tsuna.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! unfortunately.

A/N: This a trial fanfiction since this is the first one I've ever posted. If I get enough positive feedback I will continue the story and post the rest of this chapter.

Prologue

* * *

Monkey D. Luffy hadn't always gone by that name. Once she had been Sawada Tsunayoshi, but that name brought up only memories a pain, of pain, abuse, and neglect from everyone in Namimori that she had once known.

Then one the day she had been abandoned and left to die, she awoke in the New World. She didn't know how or why, but she had been grateful. If she had still been in _that_ place, she would have never met _him_.

That day Monkey D. Dragon had found her. He had saved her from drowning and had nursed her back to health from the fever that she had gotten. And when she had recovered, he didn't dump her in an orphanage, rather he took her in and adopted her even though she severely mistrusted everyone and anyone but animals. After all, she had already lost hope in humanity after how many times her trust had been broken.

It had been slow progress in the beginning, but he never did give up. In the end, it eventually paid off because she warmed up to him and the first time she called him "tou-san" was a memory he forever treasured. Of course, then Garp had to show up.

* * *

Monkey D. Garp was a marine albeit a rather careless one, but he loved his family. When news reached him about a granddaughter of his, he was ecstatic. He always wanted grandchildren but didn't really expect one from Dragon. His son after all was a very wanted man.

The problem, however, was that traveling with the most wanted man in the world wasn't the most safest, especially for a defenseless child. Said child also happened to be a child with severe trust issues, not that he could blame the girl after hearing her story.

If he ever encountered the Sawadas, they would regret hurting his family. Neglecting and abandoning a little girl on top of verbally abusing her? That was something only the lowest of the low did, especially to one's own flesh and blood.

But the problem was that his granddaughter needed a stable environment to live in, so he convinced Dragon to let him take her to Fuschia Village on Dawn Island. After all, his other charge already lived in the forests with Dadan and her bandits there.

* * *

**How was it so far? Remember to comment so I know if I should comment or not and if you want a pairing for a future, let me know. It can be someone from either world. Suggestions for future chapters or events are also welcome and if I like them enough, I'll add them to my story if I continue.**


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! unfortunately.

A/N: This is self-betaed so please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes. Please Review too!

Chapter 1

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, Gesso Byakuran wasn't such a bad guy at the root of it all.

It's just that being bombarded with the memories of countless parallel selves tended to be too much for a single person to handle and tended to cause a person to go insane.

Actually, for someone in his shoes Byakuran had surprisingly held it together better than what should have been expected.

Then Sawada Tsunayoshi came along in one of the parallel universes, Tsuna who was so kind as to help Byakuran even though Byakuran had killed him in countless alternate realities and a 10 year later alternate reality that the teen had personally witnessed.

After that, the Gesso Famiglia and Byakuran backed up the young Vongola Decimo in most alternate universes.

Now the Gesso Byakuran of Luffy's old world had loved the girl. He was in love with her beliefs, will, and her values that she bore in a number of parallel worlds.

So finding out how the Tsuna of his world had been treated made his blood boil, especially since his Tsuna was a female on at that and therefore much fragile in some ways, though stronger in other ways.

So he sent her away after her abandonment to a world where Vongola and the mafia didn't exist, where the Sawadas didn't exist.

He sent her to a world where Tsuna didn't exist as to not cause a paradox. In that world, the ancestors of the mafia men and women died before their descendants could be born eventually.

He had no doubt that she would flourish in that world, the one where instead of the mafia, there were marines and pirates. Most importantly she would gain freedom and _be happy_ _for a chance_.

So, he was content. Though, it seemed the Vongola of his world would never gain Gesso as an ally. At best, he would be neutral since he wanted nothing to do with the Sawadas.

* * *

Little Luffy with short dark brown-almost black- hair and soft brown eyes was restless.

The village her _grandpa_-how she relished having someone to call that-had left her in was peaceful and quiet. It reminded her of _that place_.

_That place_ had been a rather seemingly quiet and peaceful town as well, but look at how that had turned out. Thus, she was a little wary.

She preferred loud, warm and homely places to quiet and rather cold ones at that. Though Fuschia wasn't cold per say, but she felt like an outsider in a village where everyone had grown up knowing one another.

The only good thing that had come out of the trip to the village so far was that her father had given her a name, his name. She was now _Monkey D. Luffiana_, or Luffy as her tou-san affectionately called her. She no longer had to bear the cursed name of _that family_, for she refused to call them as her own.

The only thing was that her grandpa had to leave her there in the care of a woman named Makino who happened to be the owner of a bar. She understood why her grandpa and father left her in the village, but she rather live alone than with a stranger she didn't know. She still was reluctant to trust other humans.

Her new grandpa did tell her that there was no way for her to know if a person was trustworthy from the start and that she had to get to know a person by taking a leap of faith to find out, but she didn't want to be hurt again like she had been in _that town_.

She _was going_ to find out a way to do that and prove grandpa wrong because, because she couldn't handle another betrayal.

At least grandpa visited her occasionally and her papa called her on the baby den den mushi he had given her a couple times a week to make sure she was alright. Then, there were the letters he sent her.

That was more than she could have ever said for _that man_.

Anyway, she couldn't really do much about her situation, so she resolved to explore the forest instead and focus on getting stronger.

She never wanted to feel that despairing feel of helplessness ever again and she also wanted the power to protect her treasures, whether they were her family or otherwise.

Thus, another chapter of her life began and Sawada Tsunayoshi officially ceased to exist while Monkey D. Luffy came into being.

* * *

Life in Fuschia Village was very peaceful, but boring even as months began to pass.

She preferred travelling with her papa than living here.

Dragon had a laugh when she told him this during one of his calls. It seemed his daughter had inherited his love of adventure.

She still didn't trust the villagers but was slowly warming up to Mayor Woop Slap and Makino. Something inside of her told her she could trust them, something intuitive that seemed to have popped up ever since she had vowed to find a way to be able to tell if someone was a good person or not.

Whatever it was, it saved her from quite a few situations in the forest.

Sometimes, she got the feeling that someone was following her in the forest, but she ignored it since that feeling told her that whoever it was was simply curious and meant no harm.

* * *

"Luffy, what happened?!" Makino panicked as she saw the rather large cut on her charge's side. Blood was soaking her white shirt to the point that it was turning bright scarlet from her side.

"It's nothing Makino-san. I just...fell," the little girl replied lamely.

"That's not just nothing. You're hurt!" she yelled as she rushed to her with a large first aid kit and started applying pressure to the wound to get the blood to stop flowing.

She ended up with bandages stretching from her right armpit to her bellybutton. T

he truth was she had had a very bad confrontation with a tiger, but she didn't want to worry the woman she started to see as an older sister. What really cemented her trust in Makino was the fact that Makino was actually scared for her.

It warmed her heart that she had another person that cared for her and that she could call family.

* * *

Two weeks after that event, Luffy noticed something strange.

Sometimes, when Monkey D. Luffy looked at of the corner of her eye, she would get a glimpse of _flames_. Flames of all sizes, color, shape, and brightness.

Once when she looked down in her glass of water after observing these flames, her eyes turned orange, a color akin to fire.

Sometimes if she focused on it when she knew a person was lying, their flames flickered.

Brightness had to do with if a person was good or not since Makino's and the Mayor's flames were bright and the boys in the village that liked to bully others had dim or dull flames.

People who had the same colors acted like each other, or had the same traits.

Shape, she guessed, had to do with mood since when the Mayor would be angry, it would spike up and dance all over the place and when he was calm, it would ripple.

She never did figure out what the size of a flame meant until much later, until she met _them_.

* * *

**Sorry it took so long, but the new chapter is finally here. Now, can anyone guess who was following her in the forest or who is she referring to when she says **_**them**_** at the very end? :D **

**Anyway, please review. It really gives me motivation and ideas when someone does. Sorry, there isn't much dialogue yet or any action. Right now, where just at a part where Luffy is becoming comfortable with herself and a little bit of how she got in the One Piece World. ****Byakuran also shows up and plays a reoccurring and major role in Luffy's life. **

**Also, yes Luffy is more mature even for a child. What she faced in Namimori forced her to grow up and have trust issues. She will be a little different from Canon!Luffy and Canon!Tsuna besides the gender difference. She will, however, have some personality traits from both of them.**


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! unfortunately.

A/N: This is self-betaed so please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes. Please Review too!

Chapter 2

* * *

It all began with a rock. More specifically, a rock was what led her to finally being able to learn how to fight.

How exactly would a rock lead to such a thing, you ask? Well it began like this.

* * *

Today was the day that Luffy was going to explore the rest of the forest. Up until now, she stuck fairly close to the outskirts of the forest.

However, she felt fairly confident that she would be alright ever since she awakened that intuition of hers. She was confident that it would keep her from harm.

So with great gusto, she marched deeper into the forest and promptly…tripped on a rock, falling flat on her face.

"Ow," she mumbled into the ground.

"Hahahahahaha! Kid, are you alright?" a somewhat squeaky voice snickered in amusement.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You're from my old world too"

"That's right."

"And you're basically a cursed baby who is in the mafia."

"Yep."

"And your name is Colonello."

"Right."

"So you're basically the creeper who was stalking me in the forest."

"Ye- Wait, it's not what you think kora! I was looking out for you!"

"Ah-huh, and what were you doing when that tiger attacked me?"

"…"

"What was that?"

"I was asleep," Colonello mumbled.

"…"

"It was naptime so sue me, kora!"

"…"

"Tree branches are comfier than they look!"

"…"

* * *

And then both settled for a while after debating about the merits of the comfort of tree branches and napping in them. (Or rather Colonello finally realized that defending himself was rather useless when Luffy just ignored him in favor of cloud watching...Not that he would admit that.)

So, he opted to observe his new charge.

"So, how did you know that I wasn't from here anyway?" Luffy asked quietly after a period of silence.

"My mentor worked under Sawada Iemitsu," Colonello sighed.

"So it's true. _That man_ really is in the mafia," she chuckled bitterly, "I knew he was lying. What construction worker works in the North Pole with penguins?"

"I always thought he was kinda stupid," he added his two cents. "Don't you want to ask how I got here, or rather how you got here?"

"No," Luffy replied resolutely, causing Colonello's pale blue eyes to widen.

"B-but why, kora? Aren't you curious or shocked that other worlds actually exist or how you got-" But he stopped short and widened his eyes in shock when he caught Luffy's resolute smile.

"It doesn't matter cause I'm Monkey D. Luffiana now, or Luffy. I like it here and I don't want to go back and I think you don't either. Am I right?" she speculated. However, it came out more like a fact than a mere theory or guess.

A breeze chose to interrupt them at that very moment, causing Colonello's bangs to shadow his eyes. It also ruffled Luffy's already unruly short hair, causing her to puff her bangs out of her eyes in annoyance.

"Yeah, kora," he chuckled as he observed her. " I'm not the only cursed one. They're are six others like me and one failed other kinda like us. We're called the Arcobaleno made up of the strongest seven, but there has always been a divide between me and the others because some don't think I deserve my title. I actually took my mentor's place, causing her to become a failed Arcobaleno."

"It's my fault," he summed up bitterly.

Pause.

"I don't know about that," she cut off his gloomy thoughts. "Seems to me like you were just trying to protect your friend from being cursed. I think only a great person could do something like that. And…"

"And?" he prompted at her hesitance.

"I don't trust a lot of people. I could count who I can trust on one hand and still have fingers left over, but…something tells me I can count on you," she admitted, a little embarrassed.

"Must be your hyper intuition, kora" Colonello concluded.

" Hyper intuition?" she asked curious about the mysterious ability she possessed now that she found someone who knew what it was.

"The famous Vongola Hyper Intuition is a 'power that can see through all' that has been passed through the bloodline of all the previous Vongola bosses," he lectured her. "Vongola is currently the most powerful and influential mafia famiglia in the world-well, that world. I heard it used to be a vigilante group started by Taru Giotto (your great-something grandpa by the way) and his best friend, G."

"Is there something about flames too?" she asked.

* * *

**I decided to stop here since it seemed like a nice place to. Ha! And everyone thought that the person who was following Luffy was Sabo and Ace. Bet you never saw that coming! Well, if you did or at least guessed it to be a KHR! character, then Kudos to you. **

**I don't like using things or people too obvious and this is technically an AU and crossover. Where's the fun if you don't have any plot twists. Is anyone having any second thoughts on who "**_**them" **_**were at the end of the last chapter? :D **

**At this point in time, Colonello and Luffy bond together and start to understand each other. Oh and Luffy gets some answers. I took Reborn's definition for Hyper Intuition too. I figured Colonello knew a lot about Vongola since Lal worked for CEDEF and he was her student. **

**Colonello's gonna be a big part of the story too since I wanted Luffy to still be a student of an Arcobaleno. How he got into the One Piece world will be explained later and why he ended up on Dawn Island of all places. **


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! unfortunately.

A/N: This is self-betaed so please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes. Please Review too!

Chapter 3

* * *

'Well damn,' Colonello thought absentmindedly, considering how he was still in shock. And just when he thought his new charge wouldn't be able to surprise him anymore. Well, there goes that theory.

He was beginning to think that Luffy existed solely to throw him in a perpetual state of shock. She really went all out with everything.

Poor Colonello, if only he knew what he was getting into. Alas, it was too late for him even if he knew. He had already gotten attached, drawn in by Luffy's natural charisma.

" So, I'm guessing that's a yes by the sudden shocked silence?" the subject of his thoughts guessed. And right on the dot too…

"Do you live to throw me in unusual situations or something?" he mumbled underneath his breath quietly. Jeez, she was like a mind reader. Was Vongola's hyper intuition supposed to be this spot on? He mused this all silently.

"What was that?" she asked a little _too_ calmly while she stood up and brushed the dust of her shorts and ruffled her hair absentmindedly.

"Nothing! It was nothing, kora!" he said quickly to clear up any suspicions. "Actually, yes there is but how did you know? Hyper Intuition doesn't really cover that or that's what the manual said."

"_There's a manual_ for Vongola's Hyper Intuition?" Luffy asked with an incredulous look on her face. "Really? You must be joking."

"I kid you not. It really does exist," Colonello he simply stated.

"How would you know in the first place and why is there a manual?" came her rather skeptic tone. Really, who wouldn't be in a situation like this.

Colonello shifted a bit nervously but rather quickly asked instead a question of his own. " I think a more important question is how do you know about flames? It's one of the most guarded secret of the mafia, kora!"

"Out of the corner of my eye," she began to Colonello's confusion. And at his silence, she took it as a cue to continue seeing as she had his full attention right now. The air had turned more serious around them after all. "I can see flames out of the corner of my eye," she finished softly as she looked down on the ground.

It was still silent.

A few moments passed and she began again. "Your flame is large and blue. It's flowing calmly like water right now and it's really bright. _It's really beautiful_," she continued softly with a bright smile.

And all Colonello could do at that moment was stare in pure awe. Because he knew at that moment that this girl, his charge, would do good.

When he snapped out of it, all he could do was take a deep breath and begin his explanation because he had a feeling that Luffy wouldn't abuse the flames and was most definitely ready to know of their existence.

"They're called dying will flames or death perception flames. They are the one of the most guarded secrets in the mafia simply because of their _sheer_ potential," he started slowly.

"Potential?" Luffy blinked in confusion. Because really, who would imagine that the mafia had something with _potential_ of all things under rap. Wouldn't anyone on the outside ever figured it out if it simply had potential.

"No-maybe I should put it like this, kora. Dying will flames are the symbol of the mafia. In one's own life force, it is the high density energy that comes from it. It resonates strongly with one's _resolve_."

Shifting slightly, he got up and broke a stick off of a nearby tree and began drawing six symbols in the dirt on the ground. Weaving pictures and words around them fluidly and with ease as if the movements had been practiced several times.

"Seven types...There are seven more commonly known types or categories they can be divided into. The first would be storm…"

He spelled out the word storm next to a flame that was spiked at the top but round at the bottom with the word red inside the outline.

"Storm flames have the property of '_Disintegrazione' _or disintegration. They are noted to be red and can induce _anything_ into decaying or breaking down. This includes other flames."

He moved on and wrote 'Sky' out next to the most normal looking flame out of the bunch with orange on the inside. It had three wispy tips on the top.

"Sky flames are predominantly the color of orange, how you think a normal flame would look like in color. They have a '_Armonia'_ or a harmony factor. Not much are known about sky flames because they are said to be a mystery and one of the most rarest flames to have. They also are the flames with the greatest propulsion power and are noted to be have two characteristics. A 'soft' flame with great stability and a 'hard' flame that is much more volatile but has greater force behind it."

"That's a lot for one flame compared to what you told me about the storm variety," Luffy interrupted in confusion.

He merely chuckled. "Of course, kora. Sky flames are particularly important because the sky accepts all," he stated to Luffy's increasing confusion.

He moved on and wrote the word Sun next to a flame that seemed more spirited in its design. It was the tallest that seemed to just shoot up. 'Yellow' was paired with it.

"Anyway, next would be sun flames. They are yellow and have a '_Attivita'_ or activation characteristic. It has the ability of stimulating or augmenting. It can heal or strengthen, basically improving the _efficiency _of any activity."

He moved the stick to draw out the word 'Lightning'. The word 'green' was already written out inside the accompanying flame drawing. This time the drawing seemed chaotic with lines resembling electricity shooting out from a single point, the orb-shaped flame.

"Lightning flames are green with '_Indurimento_' or hardening as a characteristic. They can harden or increase the defensive properties of an object. You can also use them to create a barrier, cut like with a sharp blade, or you can use them by electrocuting with the electricity element of the flame."

Next, Colonello wrote out the word Rain. The flame it was paired with had 'blue' inscribed in its outline. It was distinctly more rounded, even at its tips. Veins seemed to be scrawled through it in a way that reminded her of water.

"Rain flames are blue and have the characteristic of '_Calma' _or can be used to weaken a target by robbing its strength and capacity of movement because by tranquility I mean 'appeasement and dulling.' I too...have these flames."

"Now Mist flames are a bit different. With the characteristic of '_Costruzione' _or construction, you can use them along with making illusions. Actually illusionists are mist users, kora. Oh, and they are indigo."

"How come you didn't draw that one?" Luffy interjected in slight confusion. He did draw all the other ones out. Was he get lazy with his explanation?

" Ah, I can't really accurately draw them. You see mist flames are like the mist. Not really that tangible. If you want to picture them, imagine an indigo will-o-wisp," Colonello explained a little sheepishly.

But he did move on to write Cloud next to a flame that had a ghostly appearance with really tall wisps at the top that were a bit free form in nature. They were supposedly purple as indicated by the word accompanying the drawing.

"And finally, we have the cloud flames which are - as you guessed it - purple. '_Riproduzione_' or propagation define it. Basically, increase the size or number of something with these flames." He paused after the explanation and glanced at her. "Do you understand?"

"Yes. I believe I do and thank you," she said sincerely in return after processing the enormous amount of information she had just received after just being introduced to the subject.

What happened next surprised her a bit.

Colonello in a split second used his foot to erase _everything_. She didn't even see his foot move and the only reason she knew he used his foot was because of the tell tale dirt on his boots that weren't there to that degree a second ago.

"Why-why did you suddenly erase it?" Luffy asked in confusion.

He simply held out a pinky finger and looked at her in a serious manner. "Promise me that you won't tell _anyone_ about this. That kind of power in the wrong hands would be disastrous. I told you because you were involved and trustworthy, but you can't tell anyone else," he asked her to swear it earnestly.

And she could have ignored him there if she was anything but herself. But because she was herself, she nodded once with a serious look on her face and hooked her pinky with his. "Un," she agreed.

And the tension slowly seeped from his shoulders. 'I made the right choice,' he thought as he remembered the determined look on his young charge's face. And he knew she wouldn't break her promise or go back on her word.

* * *

Makino's Party Bar at that time was in a depressing state with the gloomy aura that had encompassed it. The origin of the aura came from a single source.

That source happened to be a woman with short green hair held up by a bandana. This was Makino.

As she busily mopped up the floors, a worried look could still be seen on her face.

'I shouldn't have let her go back into the forest. It's my fault. I knew she was having trouble adjusting in the village, but I thought she just needed some time. I should have done something,' Makino thought and those words had been repeating in her mind ever since Luffy hadn't come back home last night.

She couldn't even go searching for her because everyone else just thought she needed a little space and was camping out like she did sometimes before.

This time was different and she knew that when she saw the look on Luffy's face yesterday when she left.

She didn't want to lose Luffy and had to stay in the bar in case Luffy did come back. All she could do know was pray...for the one she saw as her little sister, as family.

Pause.

A moment later, the doors were pushed open and she looked up immediately.

"Makino-nee, I'm home and I brought a friend," a very familiar childish female voice called out to her.

Tears of relief flew silently down her face as her eyes landed on two distinct figures in front of the doors.

One of a young girl with dark brown, almost black, hair that was cut to her shoulders and soft, but determined brown eyes. The girl wore a plain white tank top, blue jean shorts, and orange flip flops.

The other was that of a toddler shaped boy who possessed blonde spiky hair and very light blue eyes who also wore green pants and jacket with a white undershirt and brown boots. He also adorned a headband of the same material with a black '01' pin stuck to it. A light blue pacifier hung around his neck.

"Nice to meet you, kora. The name's Colonello," he saluted.

"Makino," she introduced herself as she shook his outstretched hand and pulled Luffy into a hug.

Yes, she was _home_.

* * *

**My longest chapter to date as a way of making up for the long time in between updates. Hope you all liked it even though I had to take a huge chunk to explain the dying will flames. Too bad I had to but it was for the sake of the story. I will however try to update again sooner and some of my other stories. I have actually started a chapter already for each of my stories already!**

**Colonello trusts Luffy with the existence of the dying will flames in this chapter. He makes her promise to not reveal this knowledge because really, devil fruit + dying will flames is too much destruction already. Imagine what will happen if you add a box weapon too. Anyway, Luffy's family is expanding and Colonello gets accepted into the fold by two people now. Oh, and Luffy gets answers on what her strange sight is showing her. And Byakuran is going to appear again soon! Please review and tell me what you guys think. I sit there unmotivated to write, then I read my reviews and decide to churn out a chapter for the sake of those who read and enjoy my story! :D**


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or Katekyo Hitman Reborn! unfortunately.

A/N: This is self-betaed so please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes. Please Review too!

Chapter 4

* * *

They don't tell Makino anything and that is for the best because it's for _her best_. Makino is strong in many ways but she doesn't know much of the cruelty of the world.

She is a civilian but that's okay. Colonello and Luffy are protectors and she is family so they will protect her too.

Makino, Luffy, and Colonello are _family_ now and nothing will change that.

And Luffy is also learning. She is learning more about people and how to fight. She learns the best way to throw a punch and how to conserve her movements to be precise and not waste any energy.

She learns how to walk silently and move swiftly. She spends long hours practicing because she has promised herself that she would be strong. She also spends much time with Colonello.

They train together. Colonello is trying to become stronger too after all. It's slow going but that's to be expected. Strength does not come from shortcuts and it doesn't faze them because _they are improving_.

And isn't that the best they can hope for. To steadily improve to the point where they can see the difference in the level of their skills from what they had started with.

And Colonello is also learning. He is learning that being at the top in their old world means nothing here in this crazy world that is mostly comprised of water.

He learns that the level of strength is much different here, not because he has experience fighting or meeting with any strong opponents of this world yet, but because this world has a greater population of fighters.

You need to be strong to travel in this world so people became strong as a necessity and there are more ruthless fighters here than the entire mafia world back home.

Colonello also learns that there is always room for improvement and that you can always get stronger. Luffy has taught him this.

Luffy has taught him that there is never a best and that you can always become better. Standing at the top as one of the strongest seven in the mafia had clouded that sight.

He had been used to be thinking that he's at his peak in strength and all he has to do is maintain that strength. He is ashamed to admit that being the strongest has made him arrogant, albeit unintentionally.

Colonello never once thought he could be training to get much stronger back then. To be fair though, there wasn't much need for him to get any stronger back then.

But now, Colonello needs strength because he has something to use it for. He needs it because he has something to protect.

He has a family now and _nothing_ will rip that away from him.

* * *

And for a while, they settle into a nice routine. Of course, there are a few bumps along the road so to speak. Mainly, the first meeting between Garp and Colonello.

For all his seeming obliviousness, Garp is actually pretty sharp after all and is automatically wary and suspicious when this powerful _not-a-child-killer-assassin_ is around his precious granddaughter in what is known as the weakest and most peaceful of the four Blues.

The _not-a-child_ has the look of one who has taken numerous lives in his eyes and Garp is too worried about his granddaughter and on alert to focus on reading anything else from the dangerous _man_ in front of him

And the _not-a-child man_ watches him just as carefully. The calculating look in those old eyes set in a youthful face deeply unsettles him. There is something very wrong with this _thing_ and his instincts are screaming at him to _eliminate_ this abnormality, to eliminate this _threat_.

But...he uses all of his will power to restrain himself, to hold himself back because that's his _granddaughter right there_ and Garp knows intimately how civilian casualties occur. He is an experienced marine and even if he doesn't act like it, he's seen a lot of corpses in his life. He's fully aware of the dark side of humanity and there is little he hasn't already seen already.

Garp is a powerful marine who has forcibly learned to trust his instincts to stay alive through blood and death (which is why he gave his special training to his son and Ace. He didn't - doesn't want the two of them to develop those same instincts that way. It would be safer for them to develop them young to increase their chances of survival).

When he gets a gut feeling, he knows to act on it now... but this isn't about him this time.

This is about his granddaughter and for once he ignores his instincts no matter how much they scream at him because he will do what is best for Luffy this time. This is about his duty as a grandfather instead of about his duty as a marine.

So, he takes the breath he didn't know he was holding and steels himself and asks the most important question he has right now. "What are your intentions towards Luffy?"

They are both settled at a corner in Makino's bar for privacy while Makino and Luffy were busying themselves in the kitchen, preparing lunch.

Pause. The only sound is the _whir_ of a fan for a few moments.

"To protect her," the _assassin_ says in return. He doesn't beat around the bush either, cutting straight to the point.

"Why? Why Luffy? What could you possibly gain from protecting her?" Garp questions in frustration without relenting. He isn't going to risk his family on the simple words of one person, no matter how sincere they seemed.

"I don't gain anything. It's as simple as this. Luffy is my friend. She saved me and gave me a purpose even if she doesn't know it. I'm sure you can sense that I'm dangerous but that doesn't mean that I will harm her or any other innocent here. Luffy trusts me and I can't - won't betray that trust," the _not-a-baby_ replies in turn.

And this time the words ring true, his instincts settle down. So even if he still doesn't like how such a dangerous person is here, he sighs and asks, "What is your name?"

And the _not-a-baby_ smiles in return and answers, "Colonello."

* * *

"So you knew those people from Luffy's old life? Is that another reason you want to protect her"

"No, while my mentor did work with Iemitsu, I didn't really like him that much. I'm not sure why I ended here on Dawn Island of all places but at first I just watched out for her because she was a little girl going through a dangerous forest. I didn't recognize her until later and by then I had already gotten attached."

"I see, well my granddaughter has always been charismatic so I'm not surprised. She's a really good kid so I don't hold this Iemitsu in a high light at all or anyone else from that family. I do have to ask you this though, if you had to go against your mentor to protect Luffy, would you?"

And he doesn't even hesitate this time to say, "Yes."

Garp and Colonello still don't fully trust each other but by the time lunch is finished, they seemed to have reached an understanding.

They act more warmly towards each other and Garp willingly answers Colonello's questions about this world, the three sides (pirate, marine, and revolutionary), the Grand Line, Tenryuubitos as well as anything else that he feels that Colonello should know.

After all, this man Colonello is going to protect Luffy so there are definitely some things he should know especially since Luffy is going to leave this peaceful island one day.

A "D" is always fated to have a great destiny and be in the middle of things and Luffy is a "D" now. She's bound to set out and stir things up as well as get into danger more often than not while she does so.

* * *

Garp departs from Dawn Island on good terms and is content for now. He can leave Luffy and the village to Colonello because although Colonello has blood on his hands that will never wash away, Luffy is his beacon.

Colonello is a protector now and that is plain to see.

He also doesn't have to worry about Luffy after seeing how hard she is working towards being strong. Surprisingly, Colonello is a good and patient teacher.

No, they both are because although Colonello seems to be the teacher, he is also the student. He is learning from Luffy as well.

Besides, he's glad to see that he doesn't have to throw Luffy into his special brand of training and subject her to that since she already has those instincts and trusts in them deeply.

(He's also furious that she's already had to develop and trust them on her own from already going through life and death situations as well as having been betrayed one to many times at such a young age.)

But now is not the time to think on that, he reminds himself as he stalks through the marine headquarters to Sengoku's office. Sengoku might understand but there are many here who would blame the sins of the parents on the children.

So he relaxes and then runs through into the office, ignoring the shut door he just trampled and greets Sengoku warmly with sweet sake and rice cakes.

* * *

And while Colonello and Luffy were in Makino's Part Bar, chatting with the customers and generally helping Makino out while Garp was munching on rice cakes with Sengoku, another figure was making its way through the East Blue.

In fact, said figure was heading in the general direction of Dawn Island.

The figure's small boat was rather swift too due to the fierce winds whipping around and pushing the sail of the boat.

And suddenly a particularly harsh wind made the boat lurch forward, causing the figure's hood to be flung off and reveal pure white hair that glinted in the sunlight. Still, it didn't faze the boy as violet eyes stared ahead determinedly.

He was definitely going to get to Foosha Village with his Dying Will.

* * *

**Wow, so it's been a long time but I've finally went back to my stuff and churned out another chapter. **

**Thanks to everyone who bared with this unintentional hiatus and hung in there for me to continue writing again. I didn't write for a long time due to medical reasons but am better now! :D**

**So, this chapter is all about coming together and Garp's point of view. I kind of actually like a supportive Garp and actually thinks that he probably isn't as stupid as he is portrayed and really does have reasons for his actions.**

**Thank you everyone who has reviewed and followed my story. I'll try to update my other stories too! And yes, the last part was a little teaser there! ;) **


End file.
